Status: 02/25/2023 12:38 p.m
There has recently been a lot of criticism of the hurdles for the simplified issuing of visas for Turkish or Syrian people affected by the earthquake. However, the number of visas issued has increased noticeably in the past few days.
The number of German visas for earthquake victims from Turkey and Syria has increased. A spokeswoman for the Federal Foreign Office told the editorial network Germany that 528 visas had been issued to people affected by the earthquake disaster by Friday.
These are 429 Schengen visas for stays of up to 90 days and 99 visas for permanent residence in Germany as part of family reunification, it said. Most of these visas were issued to Syrian nationals.
On Wednesday, the Federal Foreign Office stated that 111 visas had been issued at that time.
Parents or children must live in Germany
The prerequisite for a Schengen visa for earthquake relief is that the children or parents of the person concerned live in Germany. Applications are accepted at a visa acceptance point in the Turkish earthquake region and since Tuesday also in a mobile bus.
The Turkish community in Germany had criticized the procedures as still too bureaucratic and the restriction to first and second degree relatives.
Much frustration with simplified visas for Turkish earthquake victims
Christian Buttkereit, SWR, February 23, 2023 7:19 p.m